Science in Context: Gounouij and Dlo

Our project team is composed of kids, teachers, and researchers from two very different regions of the world but sharing a common language, french. We all enjoy our collaboration on Science learning in context. Why? Because context is an integral part of natural sciences, and consequently should be an integral part of science learning. Why not engage kids in direct observation of an animal or a natural phenomenon? Why not engage them into collaborating with other kids working on the same topic but in a different context? Our intention with this project is to produce a ‘clash’, to have kids discuss on their different results, and discover the role of context in science. Web technologies are used for exchanging information and for videoconferencing.

The first learning scenario (2013-1014) was called Gounouij, the creole term for frog. The second one (2014-1015) is called Dlo, the creole term for water. The two groups agree upon a number of topics, and get organized in teams on each side, with two teams working on the same topic. The topics for Gounouij were nutrition, habitat, reproduction, and song.